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Definition of commandeer in English:

commandeer

verb

[with object]

1Officially take possession or control of (something), especially for military purposes.

‘a nearby house had been commandeered by the army’

‘For our ride back down the mountain, we were able to commandeer a covered jeep to carry a few of our more beleaguered compatriots, but the rest of us begrudgingly climbed back into the rear of our now-notorious truck.’

‘She remembered when Syrup and she had been recruits in the army, learning the basics of war and commandeering a ship together.’

‘Expect troops to be sent across picket lines to commandeer the red fire engines.’

‘It used this influx of cash to help build up its war-machine, it commandeered aid vehicles for its own purposes and, by diverting aid supplies, helped feed its armies…’

‘What other company director, though, can pick up a telephone and commandeer the back pages of the next day's newspapers?’

‘After waiting hours, they learned government officials had commandeered their buses to evacuate others.’

‘Others have not be able to return to their land and houses that have been commandeered by the military as High Security Zones.’

‘The house and the estate owned by the Cracroft Wilson family was commandeered by the U.S. army.’

‘The People's Liberation Army could commandeer an enormous range of civilian assets that would contribute directly to its capabilities.’

‘The Union campaign was going to commandeer wagons to haul their supplies but found fewer than 50 wagons in the entire valley.’

‘It reopened to the public yesterday after it was commandeered two years ago for a US military base.’

‘It reopened to the public… after it was commandeered two years ago for a US military base.’

‘The army was checking reports that troops had commandeered a house inside Zone A territory.’

‘‘THE Army and police will commandeer coaches and trains to move hundreds of thousands of Londoners out of the city in the event of a massive terrorist attack’.’

‘In the case of a political crisis or a state of war, the government can commandeer state-owned aircraft, although on this occasion it was a request.’

‘There were, for example, many local officials around the country who commandeered transport to bring voters to polling stations.’

‘These laws already give police sweeping powers to take control of services and commandeer buildings and equipment.’

‘They will be given the authority to enlist any member of the public to help civil defence staff and to commandeer equipment or strategic buildings.’

‘Oliver Cromwell commandeered the school for his military government in Scotland, and is even reputed to have fired on Edinburgh Castle from the grounds in 1650 before turning it into a military hospital.’

‘Chandler and his control team were commandeering juggernauts to block off the dock piers one at a time.’

‘But her enthusiastic account of the local food scene made such an impression on programme producer David Pritchard that he commandeered her for part of the film.’

‘As we waited for the Federal attack through a cold, dense fog, I was commandeered by General A.P. Hill to act as a courier for him as well as General Stuart.’

‘The little girls in school with him played princess, and they would commandeer him because he was nice and he would go along with it, and make him into their frog-prince, or, more often, the big-bad-wolf.’

‘To keep supplies and equipment flowing into the theater, local laborers were hired and combat troops were commandeered to offload ships.’

‘But after I told Neil I had been a volunteer at the Commonwealth Games and done boxing reporting he immediately commandeered me to do more work.’

‘Local Afghan truck drivers were commandeered to transport between 200 and 300 prisoners in each container.’

‘Instead, he commandeers a couple of people who are at an even lower level than himself, people he can lead, raise up to his level and, if necessary, then reject.’

‘Everyone is commandeered for the task of kepping Tibet alive until our homeland is restored’

‘They want to be able to say that they did not commandeer us, but they know that they can trust us not to be really impartial.’

‘The limousine driver was exactly where we left him, and I commandeered him to drive us to my place.’

‘The ministry should take the lead to commandeer the general public to clean up public places like schools, bars, markets and taverns which form the core of a high-risk reference point before the rains.’

‘There is a New York City cop who lost friends in the attack and who has been commandeered to accompany people on these boat rides, three times a day.’

Origin

Early 19th century: from Afrikaans kommandeer, from Dutch commanderen, from French commander ‘to command’ (see command).